Getting Out of Debt: The Truth About Debt Reduction

3 Minute Read

When it comes to knocking out debt, there’s no such thing as a quick fix. But that won’t keep people from trying.

And that’s what keeps debt reduction services in business.

What’s Debt Reduction Anyway?

Before digging too deeply into why you should steer clear of debt reduction services, we probably need to explain exactly what we’re talking about. Basically, a debt reduction service promises—for a fee—to help you clean up your debt mess by working with your creditors. Typically, those promises come in one of two forms:

First, debt settlement companies take the money you pay them and use it to negotiate with your creditors to reduce or eliminate what you owe. The problem is, they usually charge way more than you would pay if you just settled the debts on your own.

Second, debt consolidation companies combine all your debts into one single debt—usually at a lower interest rate. That sounds good on the surface, but they really don’t get rid of your debts. They just move them around from one place to another.

The key thing to remember in both cases is that you really don’t need to pay someone else to do what you can do for yourself!

A Better Plan Than Debt Reduction

Simply put, debt reduction services only delay the inevitable—and they take your money while they’re at it. But you don’t want to just “reduce” your debt. You want to eliminate it. You want it gone. Taken completely out of your life as quickly as possible.

That’s what makes the Baby Steps a better plan. Debt reduction services only deal with the symptoms of a debt problem. But the intentional, step-by-step process of the Baby Steps actually helps you change your behavior. And that’s the cure! Because if you don’t change your behavior, you’ll slip back into debt once your deal with the debt reduction service is done.

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So, start with saving $1,000 for an emergency (Baby Step 1) and keep moving forward. Get on a budget—and stay on it! Build that emergency fund. Use the debt snowball to wipe out your debt once and for all. Then start building for a future that really can let you live and give like no one else!

We’ll say it again: Paying off debt is never quick or easy. Sure, the Baby Steps are simple, but they do take some work. And your progress only moves at the speed of your motivation.

But you definitely don’t need to pay a debt reduction service to do what you can do on your own! So skip the “quick fix” and focus your energy on a plan that really works.